Looking at the fatty and Yongning, Zhuo Fan laughed, "Alright, I guess I can spare the kid, for your sake. But get this straight, you two owe me one, each. And sooner or later, you're going to pony up!"
"Uh, brother, we only have one second brother. Let him go and we will owe you a favor of course, but what are you doing asking one from each of us?" The fatty's face darkened.
Zhuo Fan's eyebrow rose as he chuckled, "It's not my fault that both of you asked me to let him go. That makes it two favors. When the time comes and I need you, you better own up!"
[Damn grubber!]
That was the unanimous thought on everyone's mind. But the more they looked at the second prince hanging by a thread in Zhuo Fan's claw, the more they had to nod.
Zhuo Fan laughed and threw away his pawn. He went to Yun Shuang and said to fatty, "Let's stop here. When I need something, I'll be sure to drop by. See ya!"
And left with Yun Shuang.
Princess Yongning rushed to hold Yun Shuang back, "I and Shuang'er are practically sisters and wish to get together after not having seen each other for ages. I mean, Shuang'er must be shaking from that terrible fright and as her sister, it is my duty to look after her. Third brother, you go on without me."
"Yongning, I am not really…" Yun Shuang explained, but Yongning shot him a look.
Zhuo Fan snickered, "Princess Yongning, Shuang'er is a Profound Heaven expert, while you are far below her. Why would she need you?"
"Humph, how about this then? When a girl suffers a devastating trauma, it is irrelevant to one's cultivation. What do you men know?" Yongning's eyebrows kept moving as he taunted Zhuo Fan.
Fatty frowned, "Yongning, that's enough. You think I can't tell what you're up to? You're trying to get out of being grounded. Even if you do go with Miss Yun Shuang to Parish, imperial father will have someone drag you back."
"Oh, fatty, you're mistaken about something. Miss Yun Shuang is coming to Prosperity Compound, to be with the Luo clan and not returning to Parish."
[What?!]
The two jerked in shock, then looked at Yun Shuang.
She was the Holy Maiden of Parish, the next in line to be its Clan Head. [Then why did the High Priest send her off to someone else?]
Yun Shuang's eyes reddened and she nodded, "Grandfather had me become Steward Zhuo's attendant and tend to his needs…"
[Nani? Needs?!] (StarReader: nani is the literal translation here. Loanword from Japanese, meaning what. Guess author tried making a funny.)
Fatty's eyes burned with a fire not even the second brother's plight could stir, "Zhuo Fan, you vile beast. I used to think you were only 90% evil, but now I see that you're capable of stooping so low as to even force yourself on innocent maidens! Talk, how did you blackmail the High Priest into making such a humiliating decision?"
Princess Yongning glared at Zhuo Fan and stopped in front of Yun Shuang, whispering, "Shuang'er, don't worry. I won't let this vile demon lay his claws on you."
Zhuo Fan glanced at the two and shrugged.
Yun Shuang was waving all over the place, beet red, "You've got it all wrong. It's not like that at all. Grandfather found Steward Zhuo too evil and wanted me to guide him. That's why…"
"Oh, I see!"
The two royalties saw the light at long last. Fatty only gave Zhuo Fan a long look and sighed, "Miss Yun Shuang, your clan strives for the betterment of the people, which I admire, but I must stress one important fact. This person, or whatever you want to call him, doesn't have just evil proclivities, but is pure undiluted evil, a demon. A wretched, revolting, vile spawn that even hell spat…"
"Hey, hey, wasn't I only 90% evil? How did I become pure evil? I haven't forced a lady in my entire life, now have I?" Zhuo Fan rolled his eyes.
Fatty mocked, "What does that count? With your infamy, such an act is second nature to you."
"You've got a point there." Zhuo Fan nodded pensively.
Pff!
The girls giggled next to Zhuo Fan. When Zhuo Fan didn't flip out, he was quite a nice-ish human being. He didn't bother with the details, nor was pedantic. Quite refreshing compared to some gentlemen.
One would go as far as to say that he was leagues above those self-righteous officials.
That, of course, applied to his time off of killing and unleashing mayhem…
"In any case, changing him is like moving mountains. Not getting corrupted yourself along the way is already a miracle!" The fatty sighed, "Luo clan's young miss used to be so kind and polite. But now I hear she's been broken in, shrewd and cunning!"
"All the more reason I should stay with Shuang'er, to not let her be led astray!" Yongning found a good excuse for once.
Fatty shook his head, "Do what you will. But don't think I'll take the blame when the imperial father hears about this."
Yongning giggled and hugged Shuang'er close. Even kissed her.
Zhuo Fan didn't argue either, leaving with a salute to fatty. As for tubby, he had to stay behind to clean up all this mess and calm down the traumatized second prince.
But the fatty did care for his sister, not forgetting to give Zhuo Fan some stern warnings.
Zhuo Fan took her with open arms, of course. [Who knows, the apple of the emperor's eye might hold some use yet.]
In every moment of every hour, the only thing on Zhuo Fan's mind was the grand scheme of things. Even while trashing the second prince, he still knew when to stop, as to not yet set the imperial family against him.
But letting him off easy was out of the question as well.
Each and every word he spoke to the second prince was beautifully woven in meanings beyond mere rebukes. Second prince knew now that he was not cut out for the throne. And in his moment of despair, Zhuo Fan gave him a good nudge.
[Kill the rest and you'll be the true successor!]
The imperial family was boiling on the inside and all he had to do was to be a patient angler. In the tripartite plan, everyone wanted out of the deadlock, but neither wanted to stick their neck out.
[That only leaves forcing them to stick out!]
The emperor uplifted the Luo clan with the same purpose in mind. And Zhuo Fan incited the second prince for the same thing.
[I'm only curious if fatty figured it all out since he stopped me from giving further 'advice' to the second prince. Not that it made a difference. The seed of a power play has already bloomed in the second prince's heart.]
Glancing at the dazed second prince laying on the sand, Zhuo Fan showed a grin then walked away with the girls.
Fatty turned from Zhuo Fan to his second brother and sighed…
An hour later, Zhuo Fan arrived at the Regent of Prosperity's Compound. All of the Luo clan was in awe after his short explanation of the facts.
Zhuo Fan was out on a stroll to Parish, yet returned with not just the great Holy Maiden, but a princess.
"Young miss, settle them in. I will be in seclusion for three days." Zhuo Fan said to Luo Yunchang and walked out back.
Luo Yunchang nodded and took the guests to their rooms. On their way, she turned a hopeful gaze to Yun Shuang, "Miss Shuang'er, can you really read fate?"
"En." Yun Shuang nodded, puzzled inside.
[Where is this young miss going with this? Does she also want to know if the Luo clan is fit for power?]
She couldn't be further from the truth. Luo Yunchang blushed as she said, "Uhm, miss Shuang'er, could you perhaps look into my fated marriage? "
"Ah?"
Yun Shuang was stumped, then sighed. [A girl's heart sure isn't like a man's.] She smiled, "Of course."
Luo Yunchang laughed, "Please tell me when my wedding will come."
Yun Shuang nodded and her eyes turned into sucking abysses. Once she returned from her reading, "Odd, your wedding should've long passed. It's not necessarily bad, but I find that it was broken at some point in time. Maybe…"
Her eyes shone for a second, then she shook her head, "Forgive me, but I cannot see your wedding."
"Why?" Luo Yunchang cried.
Yun Shuang sighed, "Because of Steward Zhuo. Your wedding should've been eight years ago. But Steward Zhuo, who is outside fate, changed it, changed your fated marriage. This drove your current fate into chaos and I can no longer see it."
"You mean… he broke my fated wedding. That makes him responsible, right?" Luo Yunchang's eyes shined in glee.
Yun Shuang was startled, then nodded, "Ostensibly… he is of some fault."
"Great! Thanks, Miss Yun Shuang!" Luo Yunchang had never been happier.
Yun Shuang was clueless. Yongning at the side, shook her head and said, "Shuang'er, what about mine?"
Meanwhile, in a dark, damp cell, a grizzled and bloody old man was nailed to a pole. His shoulder blades had been run through, he was robbed of his cultivation, and was on his last breath.
He was the Parish's High Priest, Yun Xuanji.
He was surrounded by shadows.
"High Priest, you crossed the line!"
An aged and familiar voice came from behind the veil. The High Priest gave a weak laugh, "Yun clan has always strived for the people. We've never crossed it, unlike… you."
"Did you talk about it to anyone, including Zhuo Fan?" The voice turned cold.
The High Priest shook his head, "That matter is too dangerous and can't be spread. I will never harm the common man!"
"Well done!"
Whoosh!
A chain flew from behind the veil and into the High Priest's heart. The High Priest shuddered and his head slumped.
"Ha-ha-ha, since he didn't talk, the game is still on…"
The cold and sinister laugh came again…